Piano Concerto No. 1 (Mvt. II) by S. Rachmaninoff

It was a sunny and humid day in the historic district of Columbus, Georgia. I happened to be in the car with my dear friend Dragos on our way to the music school on that bricked and bumpy Broadway street. The car’s sound system was playing the 2nd movement of the gorgeous piano concerto #1 by Rachmaninov. The sun was hitting hard against the windshield, and my poor chevy’s AC was not enough to keep us cool on the short trip. We had arrived, and as soon as I turned off the car, this glorious climatic moment caught us by surprise. We could not get out of the car, despite the scorching heat that made the sweat drip off our foreheads as we contemplated with our eyes almost closing. The AC was off, the windows up, and we were stuck to our seats just appreciating the beauty of music. It was a well-worth it mini-torture, as this became one of my favorite musical memories next to one of the musicians I respect the most.

Listen to that creamy ascending piano chromatic texture as the strings sequence an unforgettable melody.

​Carlos Bedoya 03/30/23

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